GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Your last chance to participate in an organized training run for the 47th annual Amway River Bank Run comes up Saturday morning in downtown Grand Rapids, at 8 o'clock.
Participants will gather outside the David D. Hunting YMCA , 475 Lake Michigan Dr NW, to prepare for the USA 25 km Open Championship, and several other races on May 11.
Riverbank Events & Media C-E-O Russ Hines said on West Michigan's Morning News the training run is a free event, sponsored by Soaring Eagle Casino.
"Run GR will be there. Amway will be there with lots of goodies. Corewell Health will be there to answer any questions you might have. Gazelle Sports will be there, if you've got any last-minute tips on shoes or anything you need. So, there will be lots of fun people there and we're expecting over 400 people tomorrow (Saturday)," Hines said on WOOD Radio.
Race organizers have set a goal of having 10,000 runners participating in this year's Amway River Bank Run, which is presented by Fifth Third Bank and Corewell Health. You can still sign up via AmwayRiverBankRun.com .
The event features the largest 25K road race in the country and offers the only 25K Wheelchair racing division in the world along with a 25K Handcycle division. Besides the 25K, people have the choice of participating 10K Run, 5K Run, Team Competition, 5K Community Walk and Amway Junior on Wednesday, May 8 at East Kentwood High School.
"That (Junior K) is free to all kids between the ages of 2 and 12 ... so that will be another fun event to get your family involved with," Hines said.
With the help of its charity partners, the River Bank Run has raised more than $2.3 million over the years. A little more than 1,000 runners participated in the inaugural event in 1978 on the second Saturday of May for the first annual Old Kent River Bank Run. In 2001, Old Kent Bank merged with Fifth Third Bank, and the event was renamed to showcase its new owner.
Amway River Bank Run is the site of the Men’s 25K American and Course record (1:13:47; 2019); Women’s 25K American record (1:24:36; 2012) and former Men’s 25K World record (1998).
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The last training run is at 8 a.m. Saturday at the Hunting YMCA in downtown Grand Rapids. Photo: Source: Amway River Bank Run.